Marshals Raid Estrella Cheese Stocks
Listeria contamination prompted the United States Marshals Service on Monday to seize all cheeses held on the premises of the Estrella Family Creamery under a warrant issued by a federal judge. According to a news release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Judge Benjamin H. Settle issued the warrant at the request of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The U.S. Attorney had filed a complaint alleging that cheese and other articles of food held at Estrella Family Creamery are adulterated.
Estrella of Montesano, Washington, has had several cheese recalls this year due to Listeria. Again in August, the FDA found additional Listeria contamination and warned consumers about recalled Estrella cheese. Media reports said the raid was ordered after Estrella declined to destroy inventories of potentially contaminated cheese.
Listeria is an organism that causes gastrointestinal disease in healthy people. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur.In immune-deficient individuals, Listeria can invade the central nervous system, causing meningitis and/or encephalitis (brain infection). Infected pregnant women ordinarily experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.
